“Well，youcan’t，thereisn’troom。Goandmakeyourselfuseful，sinceyouaretoobigtobeornamental。Ithoughtyouhatedtobetiedtoawoman’sapronstring？“retortedJo，quotingcertainrebelliouswordsofhisown。
“Ah，thatdependsonwhowearstheapron!“andLauriegaveanaudacioustweakatthetassel。
“Areyougoing？“demandedJo，divingforthepillow。
Hefledatonce，andtheminuteitwaswell，“UpwiththebonnetsofbonnieDundee，“sheslippedawaytoreturnnomoretilltheyounggentlemandepartedinhighdudgeon。
Jolaylongawakethatnight，andwasjustdroppingoffwhenthesoundofastifledsobmadeherflytoBeth’sbedside，withtheanxiousinquiry，“Whatisit，dear？“
“Ithoughtyouwereasleep，“sobbedBeth。
“Isittheoldpain，myprecious？’
“No，it’sanewone，butIcanbearit。“AndBethtriedtocheckhertears。
“Tellmeallaboutit，andletmecureitasIoftendidtheother。“
“Youcan’t，thereisnocure。“ThereBeth’svoicegaveway，andclingingtohersister，shecriedsodespairinglythatJowasfrightened。
“Whereisit？ShallIcallMother？“
“No，no，don’tcallher，don’ttellher。Ishallbebettersoon。Liedownhereand`poor’myhead。I’llbequietandgotosleep，indeedIwill。“
Joobeyed，butasherhandwentsoftlytoandfroacrossBeth’shotforeheadandweteyelids，herheartwasveryfullandshelongedtospeak。Butyoungasshewas，Johadlearnedthathearts，likeflowers，cannotberudelyhandled，butmustopennaturally，sothoughshebelievedsheknewthecauseofBeth’snewpain，sheonlysaid，inhertenderesttone，“Doesanythingtroubleyou，deary？“
“Yes，Jo，“afteralongpause。
“Wouldn’titcomfortyoutotellmewhatitis？“
“notnow，notyet。“
“ThenIwon’task，butremember，Bethy，thatMotherandJoarealwaysgladtohearandhelpyou，iftheycan。“
“Iknowit。I’lltellyouby-and-by。“
“Isthepainbetternow？“
“Oh，yes，muchbetter，youaresocomfortable，Jo。“
“Gotosleep，dear。I’llstaywithyou。“
Socheektocheektheyfellasleep，andonthemorrowBethseemedquiteherselfagain，forateighteenneitherheadsnorheartsachelong，andalovingwordcanmedicinemostills。
ButJohadmadeuphermind，andafterponderingoveraprojectforsomedays，sheconfidedittohermother。
“Youaskedmetheotherdaywhatmywisheswere。I’lltellyouoneofthem，Marmee，“shebegan，astheysatalongtogether。“Iwanttogoawaysomewherethiswinterforachange。“
“Why，Jo？“Andhermotherlookedupquickly，asifthewordssuggestedadoublemeaning。
WithhereyesonherworkJoansweredsoberly，“Iwantsomethingnew。Ifeelrestlessandanxioustobeseeing，doing，andlearningmorethanIam。Ibroodtoomuchovermyownsmallaffairs，andneedstirringup，soasIcanbesparedthiswinter，I’dliketohopalittlewayandtrymywings。“
“Wherewillyouhop？“
“ToNewYork。Ihadabrightideayesterday，andthisisit。YouknowMrs。Kirkewrotetoyouforsomerespectableyoungpersontoteachherchildrenandsew。It’sratherhardtofindjustthething，butIthinkIshouldsuitifItried。“
“Mydear，goouttoserviceinthatgreatboardinghouse!“
AndMrs。Marchlookedsurprised，butnotdispleased。
“It’snotexactlygoingouttoservice，forMrs。Kirkeisyourfriend——thekindestsoulthateverlived——andwouldmakethingspleasantforme，Iknow。Herfamilyisseparatefromtherest，andnooneknowsmethere。Don’tcareiftheydo。
It’shonestwork，andI’mnotashamedofit。“
“NorI。Butyourwriting？“
“Allthebetterforthechange。Ishallseeandhearnewthings，getnewideas，andevenifIhaven’tmuchtimethere，Ishallbringhomequantitiesofmaterialformyrubbish。“
“Ihavenodoubtofit，butaretheseyouronlyreasonsforthissuddenfancy？’
“No，Mother。“
“MayIknowtheothers？“
JolookedupandJolookeddown，thensaidslowly，withsuddencolorinhercheeks。“Itmaybevainandwrongtosayit，but——I’mafraid——Laurieisgettingtoofondofme。“
“Thenyoudon’tcareforhiminthewayitisevidenthebeginstocareforyou？’AndMrs。Marchlookedanxiousassheputthequestion。
“Mercy，no!Ilovethedearboy，asIalwayshave，andamimmenselyproudofhim，butasforanythingmore，it’soutofthequestion。“
“I’mgladofthat，Jo。“
“Why，please？’
“Because，dear，Idon’tthinkyousuitedtooneanother。Asfriendsyouareveryhappy，andyourfrequentquarrelssoonblowover，butIfearyouwouldbothrebelifyouwerematedforlife。
Youaretoomuchalikeandtoofondoffreedom，nottomentionhottempersandstrongwills，togetonhappilytogether，inarelationwhichneedsinfinitepatienceandforbearance，aswellaslove。“
“That’sjustthefeelingIhad，thoughIcouldn’texpressit。
I’mgladyouthinkheisonlybeginningtocareforme。Itwouldtroublemesadlytomakehimunhappy，forIcouldn’tfallinlovewiththedearoldfellowmerelyoutofgratitude，couldI？“
“Youaresureofhisfeelingforyou？“
ThecolordeepenedinJo’scheeksassheanswered，withthelookofmingledpleasure，pride，andpainwhichyounggirlswearwhenspeakingoffirstlovers，“I’mafraiditisso，Mother。Hehasn’tsaidanything，buthelooksagreatdeal。
IthinkIhadbettergoawaybeforeitcomestoanything。“
“Iagreewithyou，andifitcanbemanagedyoushallgo。“
Jolookedrelieved，andafterapause，said，smiling，“HowMrs。Moffatwouldwonderatyourwantofmanagement，ifsheknew，andhowshewillrejoicethatAnniemaystillhope。“
“AH，Jo，mothersmaydifferintheirmanagement，butthehopeisthesameinall——thedesiretoseetheirchildrenhappy。
Megisso，andIamcontentwithhersuccess。YouIleavetoenjoyyourlibertytillyoutireofit，foronlythenwillyoufindthatthereissomethingsweeter。Amyismychiefcarenow，buthergoodsensewillhelp；her。ForBeth，Iindulgenohopesexceptthatshemaybewell。Bytheway，sheseemsbrighterthislastdayortwo。Haveyouspokentoher？’
“Yes，sheownedshehadatrouble，andpromisedtotellmeby-and-by。Isaidnomore，forIthinkIknowit，“AndJotoldherlittlestory。
Mrs。Marchshookherhead，anddidnottakesoromanticaviewofthecase，butlookedgrave，andrepeatedheropinionthatforLaurie’ssakeJoshouldgoawayforatime。
“Letussaynothingaboutittohimtilltheplanissettled，thenI’llrunawaybeforehecancollecthiswitsandbetragic。
BethmustthinkI’mgoingtopleasemyself，asIam，forIcan’ttalkaboutLaurietoher。ButshecanpetandcomforthimafterI’mgone，andsocurehimofthisromanticnotion。He’sbeenthroughsomanylittletrialsofthesort，he’susedtoit，andwillsoongetoverhislovelornity。“
Jospokehopefully，butcouldnotridherselfoftheforebodingfearthatthis`littletrial’wouldbeharderthantheothers，andthatLauriewouldnotgetoverhis`lovelornity’aseasilyasheretofore。
Theplanwastalkedoverinafamilycouncilandagreedupon，forMrs。KirkegladlyacceptedJo，andpromisedtomakeapleasanthomeforher。Theteachingwouldrenderherindependent，andsuchleisureasshegotmightbemadeprofitablebywriting，whilethenewscenesandsocietywouldbebothusefulandagreeable。Jolikedtheprospectandwaseagertobegone，forthehomenestwasgrowingtoonarrowforherrestlessnatureandadventurousspirit。Whenallwassettled，withfearandtremblingshetoldLaurie，buttohersurprisehetookitveryquietly。Hehadbeengraverthanusualoflate，butverypleasant，andwhenjokinglyaccusedofturningoveranewleaf，heansweredsoberly，“SoIam，andImeanthisoneshallstayturned。“
Jowasverymuchrelievedthatoneofhisvirtuousfitsshouldcomeonjustthen，andmadeherpreparationswithalightenedheart，forBethseemedmorecheerful，andhopedshewasdoingthebestforall。
“OnethingIleaveinyourespecialcare，“shesaid，thenightbeforesheleft。
“Youmeanyourpapers？“askedBeth。
“No，myboy。Beverygoodtohim，won’tyou？“
“OfcourseIwill，butIcan’tfillyourplace，andhe’llmissyousadly。“
“Itwon’thurthim，soremember，Ileavehiminyourcharge，toplague，pet，andkeepinorder。“
“I’lldomybest，foryoursake，“promisedBeth，wonderingwhyJolookedathersoqueerly。
WhenLauriesaidgood-by，hewhisperedsignificantly，“Itwon’tdoabitofgood，Jo。Myeyeisonyou，somindwhatyoudo，orI’llcomeandbringyouhome。“
NewYork，NovemberDearMarmeeandBeth，I’mgoingtowriteyouaregularvolume，forI’vegotheapstotell，thoughI’mnotafineyoungladytravelingonthecontinent。
WhenIlostsightofFather’sdearoldface，Ifeltatrifleblue，andmighthaveshedabrinydroportwo，ifanIrishladywithfoursmallchildren，allcryingmoreorless，hadn’tdivertedmymind，forIamusedmyselfbydroppinggingerbreadnutsovertheseateverytimetheyopenedtheirmouthstoroar。
Soonthesuncameout，andtakingitasagoodomen，I
cleareduplikewiseandenjoyedmyjourneywithallmyheart。
Mrs。KirkewelcomedmesokindlyIfeltathomeatonce，eveninthatbighousefullofstrangers。Shegavemeafunnylittleskyparlor——allshehad，butthereisastoveinit，andanicetableinasunnywindow，soIcansithereandwritewheneverIlike。Afineviewandachurchtoweroppositeatoneforthemanystairs，andItookafancytomydenonthespot。
Thenursery，whereIamtoteachandsew，isapleasantroomnextMrs。Kirke’sprivateparlor，andthetwolittlegirlsareprettychildren，ratherspoiled，Ifancy，buttheytooktomeaftertellingthemTheSevenBadPigs，andI’venodoubtIshallmakeamodelgoverness。
Iamtohavemymealswiththechildren，ifIpreferittothegreattable，andforthepresentIdo，forIambashful，thoughnoonewillbelieveit。
“Now，mydear，makeyourselfathome，“saidMrs。K。inhermotherlyway，“I’monthedrivefrommorningtonight，asyoumaysupposewithsuchafamily，butagreatanxietywillbeoffmymindifIknowthechildrenaresafewithyou。Myroomsarealwaysopentoyou，andyourownshallbeascomfortableasI
canmakeit。Therearesomepleasantpeopleinthehouseifyoufeelsociable，andyoureveningsarealwaysfree。Cometomeifanythinggoeswrong，andbeashappyasyoucan。There’stheteabell，Imustrunandchangemycap。“Andoffshebustled，leavingmetosettlemyselfinmynewnest。
AsIwentdownstairssoonafter，IsawsomethingIliked。
Theflightsareverylonginthistallhouse，andasIstoodwaitingattheheadofthethirdoneforalittleservantgirltolumberup，Isawagentlemancomealongbehindher，taketheheavyhodofcoaloutofherhand，carryitallthewayup，putitdownatadoornearby，andwalkaway，saying，withakindnodandaforeignaccent，“Itgoesbetterso。Thelittlebackistooyoungtohafsuchheaviness。“
Wasn’titgoodofhim？Ilikesuchthings，forasFathersays，triflesshowcharacter。WhenImentionedittoMrs。K。，thatevening，shelaughed，andsaid，“ThatmusthavebeenProfessorBhaer，he’salwaysdoingthingsofthatsort。“
Mrs。K。toldmehewasfromBerlin，verylearnedandgood，butpoorasachurchmouse，andgiveslessonstosupporthimselfandtwolittleorphannephewswhomheiseducatinghere，accordingtothewishesofhissister，whomarriedanAmerican。Notaveryromanticstory，butitinterestedme，andIwasgladtohearthatMrs。K。lendshimherparlorforsomeofhisscholars。
Thereisaglassdoorbetweenitandthenursery，andImeantopeepathim，andthenI’lltellyouhowhelooks。He’salmostforty，soit’snoharm，Marmee。
Afterteaandago-to-bedrompwiththelittlegirls，I
attackedthebigworkbasket，andhadaquieteveningchattingwithmynewfriend。Ishallkeepajournal-letter，andsenditonceaweek，sogoodnight，andmoretomorrow。